Rasheed’s cricket journey has been one of grit and sacrifice. A massive MS Dhoni fan, he was supported by his father, Shaik Balisha Vali, who picked up odd jobs in Hyderabad while Rasheed trained professionally. Despite financial struggles, his family remained committed to nurturing his cricketing talent. His journey began with gully cricket in Guntur, where neighbours often complained about broken windows from his sixes-a sign of his potential early on.
Celebrations erupted in Guntur, with friends, family, and neighbours bursting firecrackers. The proud moment also caught the attention of leaders, including Minister Nara Lokesh, who congratulated Rasheed on X, calling his journey ‘one of grit and passion’ and a ‘proud moment for Andhra Pradesh.’
With CSK hoping to regain momentum this season, Rasheed’s rise offers fresh hope not just for the team, but for young cricketers across the country.
CSK captain MS Dhoni praised Rasheed for his knock during the post-match presentation, saying: “Rasheed has been with us for a few years, and we’ve seen improvement in his batting in the nets against both fast bowlers and spinners. We needed to make some changes, as we were getting the same results from our usual approach. He batted really well today. But this is just the start, he has the ability to dominate with authentic shots, unlike some other batters.”
